By Kelly Burgess,
Bruce Peninsula Press
Inspirational, resilient, and humble are exceptional qualities that describe Breanna Heels, the Vice Principal of Bruce Peninsula District School (BPDS) who was recently named a Top 10 finalist for this year’s Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize. “I was shocked. It is overwhelming and undeserving to be honest. I’ve had such great teachers in my life and am surrounded by great teachers every day. I am in awe of the other 9 finalists so even to be recognized alongside them is really an honour,” she stated. She continued to explain that she doesn’t want this to be about her but about recognition for all of the wonderful educators at BPDS and across the board. “My win would be a win for the school and the community too. This is not about me specifically but really the school and the community that raised me.” The award winner will be announced on November 10.
Fortunately for the Bluewater District School Board, Breanna’s original plan to become a journalist changed while completing a semester abroad as an undergrad student in International Development. She ventured to East Africa to be part of a group working on Millennium Development Goals (now known as UN Global Goals). She ended up in a group focusing on Primary Education which is when her passion towards education blossomed.
She explained, “I was ignited. I was in these classrooms and getting to know these students and learning about education and I thought this is so important. I realized that education is such an important tool, it is an equalizer and this is a priority.”
Twist of Fate
In 2011, Breanna decided to complete one of her teaching practicums in Ecuador where she taught at an all-girl’s school which solidified her chosen path. “It was amazing. They were so receptive and you could see how important education is to them. It reinforced everything that I was in the right place in my life in education,” she expressed.
Although Breanna thought that she would end up teaching internationally after this incredible experience, a twist of fate on her last day of her practicum at her childhood school of BPDS occurred; she met her future husband, Nigel who happened to be at the school that day doing his job as the School Resource Officer with the OPP. They married and are raising their two-year old daughter in the Lion’s Head area. “When I left, I never thought I would live here. Life truly does have a way of directing you,” Breanna explained about her decision to teach locally.
Thinking Globally
After the UN Global Goals came out in 2015, she knew that she wanted to focus her grade 7/8 teaching program around them. “The students just latched onto it. You always want to reach every student and incredibly every one of my students connected with a global goal.” It enabled students to “think globally and act locally”.
In order to share these successful teaching methods with other teachers, she created the website Changemaker Classrooms which is one of the many reasons she is up for this prestigious award. Her intention is to provide access to challenges and resources to all teachers regarding the UN Global Goals. She revealed, “You aren’t just learning about something but you are doing something with it. I think there is an access point for all teachers. Whether you teach kindergarten to grade 12 there is something for everyone.”
